


love will find a way

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Medieval AU, inspired by the plot of lion king 2, no they are not lions, warnings: references to abuse and brainwashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-01-05 02:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21205886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “If you don’t want to look at the cool stuff in the lake, we can go watch the knights practice.”Alyssa blinks. “I can’t go there.”“Why not?”“Outsiders don’t go into Edgewater.”Emma frowns and runs a hand through her hair. “You’re with me. Who cares?”





	1. don't forget it (you'll regret it)

The border between Edgewater and the outlands is quiet.

Emma crouches down in the grass at the edge of a lake, watching tadpoles swim in the shallow water. “You’re so little,” she mumbles. “What’s supposed to keep the birds from getting you?”

There’s a soft crack behind her, like a twig snapping, and she stands and turns around.

“Who’s there?” She sets her hand on the small dagger on her belt, starting to draw it. “I-I… I’m not scared! Show yourself!”

A figure rushes out of the grass, faster than she’s expecting, and hits her dead center. They tumble into the sandy dirt, wrestling for control, and after a minute or so Emma’s back hits the ground, her hands pinned next to her head, someone else’s legs trapping her hips.

_“Ooof-_ Who the…” Emma trails off, her mouth going dry, as she stairs up at the girl on top of her.

She’s about the same age, no older than ten or eleven, with curly dark hair and brown eyes filled with suspicion. Her blue jacket is a bit faded and worn, and there’s a tiredness to her pretty face that Emma wouldn’t have expected.

“Hi,” she whispers. “Where’d you come from?”

The girl doesn’t respond at first, and Emma starts to wonder if she can’t speak.

“What are you doing here? You don’t belong here” she says, her voice raspy.

Emma lifts her chin a little. “I’m a Nolan. I can go wherever I want.”

The girl frowns. “You’re the sovereign?”

“No,” Emma says a laugh. “I’m only ten.”

“Yeah? Well _I’m_ ten and _I_ can do a border patrol.”

“Sounds boring. Wanna look at tadpoles?”

The girl blinks at her. “Huh?”

Emma pulls one of her hands out of the girl’s grip and points towards the lake. “I was watching them when you bothered me.”

“Why would you do that?” the girl asks as she stands up, getting off of Emma.

“Why not? It’s cool.”

The girl picks up Emma’s dagger, knocked aside when they barreled into each other, and she holds it out to her. “You’re weird.”

Emma takes the dagger and puts it back in her belt. “I know.” She holds out a hand. “I’m Emma.”

The girl stares at Emma’s hand for a moment before shaking it. “Alyssa.”

“If you don’t want to look at the cool stuff in the lake, we can go watch the knights practice.”

Alyssa blinks. “I can’t go there.”

“Why not?”

“Outsiders don’t go into Edgewater.”

Emma frowns and runs a hand through her hair. “You’re with me. Who cares?”

Alyssa shakes her head, looking scared, and Emma reaches out to squeeze her hand. “Do you know how to skip rocks?”

The other girl shakes her head again.

“Come on. I’ll show you.” Emma pulls Alyssa closer to the lake, to a spot with a cluster of rocks. “You gotta find one that’s flat and smooth and fits in your hand.” She picks up a few and sets them one by one in Alyssa’s palm, testing the size. “These ones.”

“What do you do with them?” Alyssa asks curiously.

“You hold it like this.” Emma puts the extra rocks into her pocket and sets just one in Alyssa’s hand, adjusting the grip just so. “And then you stand like this.” She kicks gently at Alyssa’s boots to move her feet and adjusts the rest of Alyssa’s posture with her hand. “And then you throw it.”

Alyssa chucks the rock into the water, where it plunks heavily where it lands.

Emma laughs and takes another stone out of her pocket. “No, you have to like fling it.” She picks up a rock of her own, bends her wrist, and flicks the rock out across the lake, where it skips across the water.

“Cool,” Alyssa whispers.

“Try it.”

Alyssa bites her lip, concentrating, and mimics Emma’s motion.

The rock sinks into the water.

“Damn,” Alyssa says, her shoulder slumping.

“It’s okay.” Emma bumps their shoulders together and handing her another stone. “Try again.”

Alyssa nods, her eyes narrowing with determination, and she flicks the rock forward.

The rock only skips twice, but both girls throw their arms up in triumph. Alyssa throws her arms around Emma’s neck and hugs her.

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

Emma chuckles, blushing. “It’s just some rocks.”

“Yeah,” Alyssa mumbles. “But I haven’t had anybody show me somethin’ fun since-”

_“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?”_

Both girls jerk away from each other, startled, as a woman storms towards them from the side of the lake on the outland side of the border.

“M-Mother,” Alyssa stammers. “I was just-”

The woman crosses over the path of rocks that makes up the border line, not even paying attention to it as she heads straight for them. She grabs Alyssa by the arm and pulls her roughly to her side, then glares at Emma.

Emma takes a step back, startled by the anger in the woman’s eyes, but before she can speak she hears another voice say, “If you touch that girl, Veronica, it will be the last thing you ever do.”

Emma winces and swallows before she turns her head, watching as her grandmother, Betsy, steps out of the grass and stands behind her.

The woman – Alyssa’s mother, Veronica – sneers. “Well, if it isn’t _Sovereign Elizabeth Nolan._ Doing us the honor of your presence? I’m shocked.”

Emma’s grandmother gives Alyssa a cold stare, and the girl shrinks back, hiding behind her mother. “Take your child and go back where you belong, Veronica. None of you belong here.”

“That’s a matter of opinion, I would think,” Veronica murmurs. “But I won’t have that argument today.” She tightens her grip on Alyssa’s arm. “Come along, Alyssa.”

She starts to drag Alyssa back to the other side of the border, while Betsy grabs Emma by the collar of her shirt.

Alyssa looks back once, meeting Emma’s eyes, and almost silently whispers, _“Bye.”_

“Bye,” Emma murmurs, before she has to turn around to keep up with her grandmother.

* * *

“I expect more from you,” Betsy growls as she marches Emma back towards Castle Leon, grip tight on the back of Emma’s collar. “I allow you to leave the grounds, and you associate with an outsider? You’re meant to be learning from good people, Emma.”

“Gran, she seemed nice,” Emma says, confused. “We were just playing.”

“You don’t _play_ with people like _her,_ Emma. They’re liars and thieves. You’re lucky you weren’t killed.”

Emma frowns up at her. “But she gave me back my knife when I dropped it. She didn’t try to take it.”

“That’s _enough._ You’re not going back to that border again, and that’s final. Understood?”

She’s still confused, but she nods.

“Good girl.” Betsy releases the hold on Emma’s shirt and gives her a pat on the back of the head. “You’ll learn. Don’t worry. You’ll learn what’s right.”

Emma nods again, biting her lip, and she takes one of the leftover rocks out of her pocket.

“What’s that for, dear?”

“Nothing,” Emma says quietly. “It’s not for anything.”

* * *

“Do you have _any idea_ what you were doing?” Veronica hisses, leading Alyssa down the path towards the small rundown village of the outlands. “What were you _thinking?”_

“I-I was just looking at the border,” Alyssa says weakly. “Emma and I were just-”

“Don’t you _dare_ say that girl’s name!”

Alyssa falls silent, scared, as they head towards their home in the center of the others. The door opens, and Shelby and Nick hurry out.

“Lys!” Shelby grins. “Thank god, we thought you were…” She trails off, spotting the look on Veronica’s face. “Uh…”

Nick leans over to her. “I think Mom’s gonna kill Alyssa.”

Veronica glares at him. “Get back in the house!”

Shelby and Nick both scramble back through the door before Veronica leads Alyssa inside, slamming the door behind her.

“Both of you,” Veronica growls. “Go to your room.”

Shelby and Nick look at each other, worried, but do as they’re told, Shelby quickly patting Alyssa on the shoulder as she goes.

Once the room is otherwise empty, Veronica rounds on Alyssa.

“I-I’m sorry, Mother,” Alyssa says, taking a step back and running into the door.

“Do you have _any_ idea who that girl is?”

“I-I know she’s a Nolan.”

“That girl is the heir. That girl is the daughter of the man who _murdered_ your father, the granddaughter of the woman who exiled us to live out here, a child of the family whose war caused the deaths of the birth parents of both of your siblings. She is why your father is not the sovereign, why _you_ are not the heir. You would dishonor that by trying to befriend her?”

“We were just… It wasn’t…”

“I should…” Veronica trails off, realization forming on her face. “Unless…” She turns away, tapping her fingers against her jaw. “Oh, darling, you’re a genius.”

Alyssa frowns. “Uh… I am?”

“It’s _brilliant.”_ Veronica turns back to face her, eyes lit with excitement. “It will need time. You’ll need to be more trained, more confident. Old enough to commit to your actions, and to understand the proper way to make the correct moves.”

Alyssa just blinks at her, baffled.

“We’ll get you trained and prepared. You’ll befriend the girl,” Veronica says slowly, counting off steps on her fingers. “Get close to her, to her family, to her court. Become accepted and trusted by the fools in Edgewater. And then, once you have them where you want them, you will kill the sovereign.”

“What?” Alyssa presses back further, as much as possible against the door. “Mother, I… I don’t want to do that.”

“Oh, sweetheart…” Veronica reaches out and strokes Alyssa’s cheek gently before her gaze gets hard and demanding. “You will learn.”

* * *

**TWELVE YEARS LATER**

Emma runs a hand through her short hair, idly spinning her gold coronet around on her wrist as she sits next to her grandmother.

The council of Edgewater is talking, yet again, about war and exile and conflicts that have been happening since before she was born, and she lost interest years ago.

She looks up when the conversation shifts to a food shortage in a small southern village, but her distraction makes her lose focus on her movement, and her coronet flings across the room, clattering loudly against the stone wall.

Betsy stops talking long enough to give her a hard, disapproving stare.

“Sorry,” Emma mutters, starting to get up.

“I’ve got it,” Barry says, walking over from the doorway and picking it up. He brings it over to her and sets it in her hand, leaning in close enough to mutter, “You should probably at least _seem_ like you’re listening, kiddo.”

Emma barely holds back her snort as she nods and sets the gold band back on her head.

It takes all of her self-control not to fidget with it again when the conversation drifts back to rumors of shadows and threats at the border.

* * *

“You’re better,” Shelby says with a laugh as she dodges out of the way of Alyssa’s sword. “But you’re still not better than me. Maybe I should be the one doing this plan. You’ve had ten years to improve and you still haven’t.”

“Fuck you,” Alyssa grumbles. “I’m doing fine.”

“Fine isn’t going to kill a sovereign, you know,” Nick says, not looking up from his wood carving.

“Yeah, and neither are you,” Alyssa retorts.

“Ooo, someone’s getting feisty.” Shelby laughs and sheaths her sword. “Maybe you really are ready.”

“I’ve been ready my whole life,” Alyssa says. “It’s my duty.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shelby sets a hand on her shoulder. “In all seriousness, Alyssa, Mother isn’t here. Are you sure you can do this? Are you… Are you sure you can kill someone?”

Alyssa swallows and nods as she meets Shelby’s gaze. “I’m sure,” she says quietly. “I have to be, don’t I?” She gives a nervous laugh. “All I have to do is befriend the Nolan heir. How difficult can that possibly be?”


	2. danger in the water

Alyssa stands on the shoreline, watching a small group of villagers cross over a bridge. “You’re certain this will work, Nick?”

“Of course I’m sure.” He taps his boot against one of the logs holding back the river, testing the stability. “We’ve held back the river long enough. Breaking this dam should catch them all by surprise.”

She gives him a sideways glance. “I don’t have interest in harming the civilians. And even the heir can’t be killed for this plan to work out.”

“Relax. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“It had better be,” Alyssa mutters. She paces a bit closer to the bridge, watching as a blonde woman reaches out to help a child over a broken plank.

Her black double-breasted military jacket with gold buttons is pristine, and there’s a shortsword attached to a red belt at her waist. It’s simple, but striking, and Alyssa swallows when she follows the woman’s smile.

Her throat goes dry when she notices the coronet set carefully on her head, a plain-looking gold band.

“That’s, uh, that’s the heir, huh?” Alyssa murmurs, folding her arms across her chest.

Nick squints, following her gaze. “Yeah. Emma Nolan.”

“Emma…” She gets a small flicker of memory, a rock skipping across a lake and a young girl’s laugh. “Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

Alyssa shakes her head, pushing away the brief confusion. “Nothing. I’m fine.” She swallows and tightens her jaw. “Let’s just do this.”

* * *

“There you go.” Emma sets the small boy back down next to his mother and ruffles his hair. “Everyone where they’re supposed to be?”

“Yes,” the mother says. “Thank you, m’lord. I know we can venture from our homes into town, but without the water in the river…”

“I told you,” Emma says, waving her off. “If it’s impossible for you to afford to buy food, and you can no longer find or grow it for yourselves, there’s nearly no way for you to resolve your situation yourselves. That’s for me to fix.”

“That should be everyone, m’lord.”

Emma looks up as Kaylee steps off the bridge, brushing stray sand off of her gloves. “Good. Why don’t you and Kevin lead them to the shelters in town? We’ll get them set up in some of the empty homes in the morning.”

“Of course.” Kaylee raises an eyebrow and lowers her voice. “Watching the sunset again?”

Emma shrugs, turning away from the civilians so they won’t hear her words. “Sometimes it’s nice to see some light, you know?”

Kaylee gives her a thin smile. “Not a lot of it around. I get it.”

She waits until the group is gone, down the path towards the main village of Edgewater, then Emma turns and sits down at the edge of the river.

She takes the coronet off her head, spinning it between her fingers, watching the sunlight flicker off the metal.

After a moment, briefly lost in the light, she rests her head on her knees and lets out a sharp, gasping sob.

“Are you okay?” a soft voice asks above her.

Emma coughs and sits up, hastily rubbing her eyes before they focus on a figure standing on the bridge above her. “Y-Yeah,” she stammers. “Yeah, I’m fine.” The person comes into focus, and Emma clears her throat, staring at the woman in the navy blue jacket.

“You don’t look fine,” the woman says, hesitating briefly before fully crossing the bridge and taking a few steps towards Emma.

“It’s deceptive. Crying makes the gold shiny.” Emma stands, brushing her sleeve over the fingerprints in the metal before putting it back on her head.

“That’s an interesting trick,” the woman says with a light laugh.

Emma stares at her for a long moment, feeling the blood drain from her face as she takes a small step closer. “Alyssa?” she whispers.

She gapes, taking a small step back. “I… How do you…”

“Of course,” Emma murmurs. “You probably don’t remember. It was a decade ago at least.” She rests her thumbs on her belt. “We met once, as children. So brief it was barely a moment, but…”

“You… remember that?”

“Well, yes.” Emma shrugs. “You’re not very forgettable.”

Alyssa stares at her, silent, but her expression isn’t one of concern or offense. It’s more… confusion. “But you’re… You’re supposed to…”

Emma barely hears her, glancing over her shoulder towards the path. “You shouldn’t be here,” she says, voice low and urgent. “If people see an outsider on this side of the border, they tend to get itchy. They assume things. Can I… Can I meet you somewhere? I’d like to talk to you. I’d like to know how you’ve been.”

“I… I’m not…”

They both freeze as they hear a dull roaring noise, the thin stream of water still in the river beginning to vibrate wildly.

“What is that?” Emma wonders aloud, frowning as she glances at the riverbed.

Alyssa’s eyes go wide. “The dam,” she whispers.

“What?”

“I…” Alyssa shakes her head. “We have to go.”

“What are you-”

“Just _run!”_ She grabs Emma’s wrist and pulls her away from the edge.

A sudden, surging rush of water returning to the river hits and overflows, swelling over the banks and knocking their feet out from under them. It tumbles them together and starts to drag them backwards towards the river, nearly pulling them in before depositing them just on the edge.

Emma runs a hand through her wet hair, breathing hard, staring down into Alyssa’s eyes. “What is it with us and water?” she jokes.

Alyssa just stares up at her, looking scared.

“Hey,” Emma murmurs. “Are you okay?”

“I-I don’t know,” Alyssa admits softly.

“You’re shivering.” Emma stands and helps Alyssa to her feet, rubbing her hands briskly over her arms to help warm her. “You know, we’re lucky you got us further away from the shore,” she says as she starts to unbutton her jacket. “Any closer and we’d be in the current. That’s not exactly something I’d be keen on.” She puts her jacket around Alyssa’s shoulders, leaving herself in just a plain red t-shirt.

“What are you doing?” Alyssa asks.

Emma blinks at her. “I don’t know. My clothes are just as wet as yours so it’s not going to help much. I guess it’s just an instinct.”

“Okay, but… why?”

“What do you mean why?”

Alyssa swallows. “You know who I am, Emma. What I am.”

Emma takes a small step back. “You remember my name?”

“Yes.” Alyssa pulls Emma’s jacket tighter around her shoulders, shivering.

There’s a pause as Emma studies her, head tilted slightly to the side. “Why are you here, Alyssa?”

They just stare at each other for a long moment.

“I want something different,” Alyssa says, her voice low. “I want to leave. I just… I know I’m not meant to be here. I’m just trying to find something better than where I grew up. Better than what I’ve had.”

Emma barely hesitates before holding out her hand. “I can’t promise anything. But I can do my best to give you something better.”

Alyssa swallows. “Why would you want to?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I guess that’s a good question,” Alyssa whispers. She takes in a breath, then sets her hand in Emma’s.

* * *

“There is no chance whatsoever of that happening,” Betsy says, storming after Emma as she brushes a towel over her hair. “You are not allowing _that girl_ into these borders.”

“Why not? Shouldn’t she have a chance to get away from the outlands?” Emma snorts. “Or did she do something to offend you when she was two?”

“You watch your mouth.” Betsy takes the towel from her and fusses over some water droplets still on Emma’s cheek. “Don’t you understand? That girl’s father is the reason you don’t have one anymore. She can’t be trusted.”

“That’s my decision to make.”

“Oh? Have I died and left you sovereign?”

“Gran,” Emma says quietly. “Please. Can’t you just let me do this? I want to help.”

Betsy purses her lips and walks over to a glass cabinet, unlocking it and opening it to take out another coronet. She sets it onto Emma’s ruffled hair. “There,” she murmurs. “To replace the one you managed to lose in the river.”

Emma takes it off her head, eyes hard. “It’s just a scrap of metal, Gran. It’s not what’s important here.”

“What is _important_ is your family. Your responsibility. The legacy left for you.”

“Sure. Hell of a legacy when you won’t even let me speak without overruling me.”

Betsy stares at her through narrowed eyes. “Fine,” she whispers. “The girl is your responsibility. Don’t make me regret it.”

* * *

Alyssa leans on the ledge of one of the castle’s balconies, watching the sunset.

She has her mission. She knows what she needs to do. She knows what the plan was _supposed_ to be.

Emma’s softness, her kindness, the fact that she remembered her after all these years, caught her completely off balance.

She’s not sure she knows what to do anymore.

“Hey.”

Alyssa jumps a little, startled, as Emma greets her quietly and leans next to her.

“I’m sorry,” Emma says softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s alright. I just wasn’t expecting you.”

“What were you expecting?”

Alyssa shrugs. “Soldiers to escort me back to the outlands?”

Emma gives her a small smile. “No. I managed to talk my grandmother into letting you stay, at least for a while. If I can show her that you’re genuine about getting away from the outlands, I think I might be able to get her to make it permanent.”

“I don’t think I deserve that effort, Emma,” Alyssa whispers.

Emma grins at her. “Sure you do. Everybody deserves a bit of effort, don’t they?”

Alyssa swallows, nerves twisting her stomach into knots. To her horror, tears start to well in her eyes, and she shudders as she takes in a breath. “In my experience, that’s not exactly true.”

“Well.” Emma sets a hand on her shoulder and squeezes gently. “I guess I’ll have to prove it to you.”


	3. what would i give

“Where are you taking me?” Alyssa asks as Emma leads her down a path through one of the forests.

“I’d like to show you what I want you to do while you’re here.” Emma holds her hand out to Alyssa. “Do you trust me?”

Alyssa hesitates briefly before taking her hand. “I do,” she says softly. “I’m not sure why, but I do.”

“It’s a start.” Emma keeps her grip on Alyssa’s hand loose and gentle as she leads her. “Are your sleeping arrangements acceptable? I can talk to Dee Dee if they aren’t. I tried to make sure that you were taken care of as best as can be provided.”

“They’re fine.” Alyssa’s gaze drops to the sword on Emma’s hip, to the lion’s head pommel on the end of the hilt. “My mother has a sword like that,” she murmurs.

“I know,” Emma says quietly.

“She said it was the one your father used to kill mine.”

“It was. My father died in that fight, too.” They get to the end of the path, near a pond, and Emma turns to her, taking her other hand as well. “Alyssa. We don’t need to be our fathers. We don’t need to continue a fight that started when we could barely walk. We can just be ourselves.”

She’s not sure why she says it, but she whispers, “Emma, I’m not sure I _am_ anyone outside this fight.” Alyssa flinches and bites her lip, looking away.

“That’s okay. I’ll help you figure it out.” Emma gives Alyssa’s hands a brief squeeze and lets one of them go to lead her closer to the pond.

“What task are you showing me?” Alyssa asks curiously as Emma comes to a stop near the water.

“Task?” Emma laughs. “There’s no _task._ We’re just here to breathe for a moment. You’re not expected to be a servant or something, you know. That’s not how this is going to work.”

“Oh. But then why are we here if we aren’t working?”

“It’s called fun, Alyssa.” Emma picks up a few rocks and sets one in her hand. “Don’t you remember how to have it?” She grins and throws, letting the stone skip a few times across the surface of the pond.

Alyssa stares down at the rock in her hand. “This is what you taught me. When we were kids.”

“That’s right. Do you remember how to do it?”

She shakes her head slowly.

Emma gives her a soft smile. “That’s alright. I can show you again?”

“Okay,” Alyssa murmurs.

“You have to hold it like this,” Emma says, her voice low as she adjusts Alyssa’s grip around the smooth stone. “It’s going to be more of a flick of the wrist than a throw. Does that make sense?”

Alyssa swallows, her breath catching in her throat as she looks into Emma’s eyes. “Yes.”

“Stand here,” Emma says, her other hand carefully repositioning Alyssa by her hip. She moves behind Alyssa and takes her arm, showing her in slow motion how the movement of the throw should go. “Think you’ve got it?”

“Yeah. It feels familiar.”

“Good. Give it a try.”

Alyssa mimics the motion, and the rock skips once before sinking. She frowns, irritated. “Let me try again.”

Emma gives a light laugh. “Sure.” She hands her another rock and takes a small step back.

Alyssa squints, determined, and tosses the second stone at the water. It skips a few times, and she doesn’t even bother to count before she laughs, excited, and spins around to pull Emma into a hug.

She remembers doing almost the exact same thing when she managed to skip a stone as a child, but it feels completely different now, and she doesn’t understand why.

She pulls back just a bit, her arms still around Emma’s neck, just enough to see her face.

There’s a tension pulling at her stomach, an uneasy twisting. She wants to blame it on the knowledge of her motivation for being in Edgewater, but she watches Emma’s jaw tighten, and she realizes that, whatever this tension is, Emma can feel it, too.

“I, uh… That was a good throw,” Emma says quietly, her hands hovering hesitantly near Alyssa’s hips.

“Thank you.”

Emma clears her throat and takes a small step back, sliding out of Alyssa’s grip. “Uhm. Would you like to see my favorite place to go in this whole area?”

Alyssa grins. “It would be a privilege.”

* * *

Shelby stands on the edge of the lake, frowning down at the water.

“Come on now, Gonzales, you know you’re not supposed to be here.”

She smirks before she even turns, watching Kevin Shields step out of the trees and into the grass around the lake. “I’m close enough to my border, Shields.”

“Close enough isn’t on the right side of it. Go on. Get back where you belong.”

Shelby draws her sword and idly studies the blade, glinting in the sunlight. “What if I don’t want to?”

Kevin scoffs and shakes his head as he draws his own sword. “Really? You want to do this right now? It’s so _early.”_

“I’m bored and need the practice kicking the ass of an Edgewater knight.”

“I’m not Klein,” Kevin retorts.

“Mm.” Shelby wanders closer, still looking at her sword. “Where _is_ Klein, anyway? You’re usually a package deal, after all. Which side of the trees should I be expecting her from? You two can’t really surprise me anymore. Let me guess. My… left?”

“Oh, you’re such an _ass,”_ Kaylee mutters as she steps out of the forest on Shelby’s left side. “I had the perfect spot picked out and everything.”

Kevin laughs and waits for Kaylee to take her own sword out of its sheath. “How are we doing this today? Two on one? Two sets of one on one? You just feel like taking on one of us? What’s it going to be, Gonzales?”

Shelby snorts. “Please. I can beat both of you easily.” She uses her boot to kick some sand up at Kaylee’s face, making her stumble back, and she takes a swing at Kevin.

“Oh, _cheap!”_ Kaylee yells, a laugh in her voice. She brushes her face off with a gloved hand.

Kevin catches Shelby’s blade with his own and grins at her. “You’re better than that, Gonzales. Hard day?”

Shelby mirrors his grin. “I’m trying something new.”

He laughs again and pushes her back, and the three of them start a chaotic duel together.

* * *

“Emma? Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

Alyssa leans her head on her hand, looking up at the clouds as they lie in the grass on a hill. “Why are you doing this? Why are you putting time into me? You say I deserve it, but I don’t understand how you could possibly think that. You don’t even know me.”

Emma is quiet for a long moment, watching the sky. “I’m expected to live up to some ideal that my grandmother has for me. I’m supposed to be all these different things for them, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to be all of that and still be _me._ All I want is to be me. Maybe that’s prideful, maybe it’s selfish, I don’t know. But I don’t want to lead people though more and more endless, pointless conflict. I just want to take care of them.” She turns her head, giving Alyssa a soft look. “I want to take care of people like you, too.”

“What do you mean?” Alyssa asks quietly, turning and meeting her gaze.

“We were just kids,” Emma murmurs. “You were just a kid, but you still had to leave just because your parents did something wrong. It’s not fair. I can’t make my grandmother or her council listen to me, but… if I can make things better for even just one person? If I can reach out and help you even if she doesn’t want me to? I’ll take that.”

Alyssa shakes her head slowly. “How did you get like this? How did they not break you?”

Emma shrugs. “I don’t know. I met you and realized just what kind of people were thrown to the outlands, I guess. How did they manage not to break you?”

Alyssa swallows and looks back up at the clouds. “I’m not sure they didn’t.”

She waits for the questions, for the accusations.

Instead, she closes her eyes as Emma simply reaches out, gently takes her hand, and says nothing.

* * *

“What were you doing today?” Nick asks as Shelby walks through the front door.

“Patrolling.” She hangs her sword on the wall. “Where’s Mom?”

“Meeting, I think.” Nick leans back in his chair. “And you’re lying.”

Shelby laughs. “If I’m lying, why did you even ask?”

“Because I wanted to see if you’d admit to play-fighting with two Edgewater knights.”

Shelby freezes. “What?” She turns to face him. “What did you just say?”

“I was out today. _Actually_ patrolling. And I saw you over the border, dueling two Edgewater knights. I know when you’re fighting seriously and when you’re just goofing around, Shelby. You weren’t even trying.”

“It was just some practice. Who even cares?” She scoffs and shakes her head. “What exactly are you accusing me of, Nick?”

Nick puts his chair back down and stands up. “They aren’t your _friends,_ Shelby. They’re your _enemy.”_

Shelby pauses. “I-I know that. I’m not attached to them or anything. They’re just some nice dueling practice on occasion.”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah? And what are you going to do when Mom finds out and orders you to kill them both?”

“That’s not going to be a problem.” She steps forward, jabbing him hard in the chest with a finger. “Because she’s not _going_ to find out, now _is_ she?”

Nick stares at her for a long moment, his eyes narrow. “I won’t tell her,” he says slowly, “but you’re playing a dangerous game, Shelby. You can’t hide your little… _practice sessions_ from her forever. What’s your plan for when that happens?”

Shelby’s jaw tightens. “I don’t need a plan,” she says quietly. “They mean nothing to me.”

As she turns and walks away, she hears him murmur, “Keep telling yourself that, sister. For your own sake.”


	4. show me everything and tell me how

_“Alyssa!”_

She draws out of the fog of sleep, her brain hazy, and blinks as she realizes she’s on top of Emma on the floor of her room, her hands around the heir’s throat.

“Startle reflexes,” Emma rasps, patting her arm. “Got it.”

Alyssa lets go as if she’s been burned. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I scared you.” Emma gently brushes her hands up and down Alyssa’s arms. “I just wanted to show you something, if you think you’re up for it?”

“That would be fine.”

Emma sits up, Alyssa still in her lap. She brushes a strand of hair behind Alyssa’s ear. “Are you sleeping okay?” she murmurs. “You look tired. I’m worried.”

“I’m always a bit tired, to be perfectly honest. I just don’t sleep well.”

“Let me know if I can do anything about it.”

Alyssa nods. “Okay. I will.”

Emma waits until Alyssa gets up before standing. “I’ll give you privacy to change, and then we can go. I’ll wait for you outside.”

She watches as Emma leaves, then she sits down on the bed, taking a moment to wait for her heart to stop wildly thudding around in her chest.

* * *

“Emma, it’s still dark out,” Alyssa grumbles as she follows Emma through the trees to the spot where they can lay and watch the sky. “I know this is your favorite spot and all, but now that I can finally sleep until the sun rises, can’t I do that?”

“Yes. Just not today.” Emma gets to the top of the hill and sits down in the grass. “Join me?”

Alyssa rolls her eyes and sits next to her. “What are we doing?”

“Being patient.” Emma gives her a sideways glance. “Are you okay, Alyssa? You just seem… sad. I know we don’t really know each other well, so maybe I’m just misinterpreting, but I don’t want you to be upset to be here. You’re not a prisoner.”

“I like being here. I think I just didn’t anticipate how much I would.” Alyssa bows her head. “I didn’t anticipate how much I’d end up liking you.”

Emma takes one of Alyssa’s hands and starts gently tracing her finger along Alyssa’s knuckles. “Your mother told you that I’m like my father, didn’t she?”

Her eyes widen. “What?”

“A lot of people try to claim the same thing of me, though for them it’s a good thing.” Emma’s voice softens. “I’m sure for you it isn’t.”

“That _is_ what she told me,” Alyssa murmurs. “But I don’t think you’re anything like him. You’re not cruel, or spiteful, and you don’t hate me just for existing.”

“My father wouldn’t have hated you, either. He wasn’t any of those things. He was just caught up in defending his rule, and he allowed things to go too far. A bad choice. But not one he made out of malice.” Emma sighs and covers Alyssa’s hand with hers. “My father was not a perfect man. But he was not a villain. I doubt yours was, either.”

“How can you be so calm? We’re sitting here, descendants of a bloodbath, and you’re just… taking it all in stride.”

“I have to be calm. If I’m not, I’ll lose sight of who I’m trying to be. I can’t let that happen.” Emma leans in and puts her arm around Alyssa’s shoulders, pointing at something in the distance. “Look,” she whispers. “That’s why we’re here.”

Alyssa follows Emma’s direction, and her breath catches in her throat as she sees the bursts of color from the sunrise start to peek over the trees. “Emma. It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Emma says softly, and Alyssa feels her breath on her neck, a sudden sensation as if Emma isn’t looking at the sunrise at all. “It is.”

* * *

“I would like to talk to you for a few moments.”

Emma sighs as she finishes buttoning up her jacket. “Could it wait, Gran? I’m supposed to meet-”

Betsy narrows her eyes. “It was not a request, Emma. It was an order.”

“…Yes, sovereign.”

Emma falls into step beside Betsy as they leave her room and walk through the halls of Castle Leon. She interlocks her fingers behind her back, a sharp, militaristic posture, trying to keep her nerves in check and her expression neutral.

“How is our… _guest_ faring?” Betsy asks slowly, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

“As well as can be expected. She’s trying, but she’s new to this life. I’m not sure she’s had a kind word said to her in ages.”

“Don’t get too attached to her, Emma. There is no guarantee that she will be able to stay.”

Emma’s hands tighten behind her back. “She’s not a stray dog I brought in from the rain, Gran.”

“Oh, I know, darling.” Betsy stops and turns to face her, reaching up to straighten Emma’s coronet before fussing with her jacket. “You have such a good heart, dear. You just need to toughen it against people like her. Not everyone deserves your respect.”

“I don’t believe that’s true. Maybe it’s not possible for everyone to change, but there’s no reason to deny someone the chance to try.”

Betsy gives her a smile that’s clearly meant to be sympathetic, but to Emma just feels patronizing. “You’re so young,” she says gently, patting Emma on the cheek. “You still have so much to learn.”

“Gran, I-”

“Why don’t you go with Barry out to the ravine and get some sword practice in? I don’t want your skills getting rusty.”

Emma narrows her eyes, annoyed. “I’m fine, Gran. I really think we should talk about-”

“Barry!” Betsy waves him over as he tries to walk past, completely ignoring Emma’s words. “Go with Emma.”

He takes one look at the expression on Emma’s face and gives a small smile. “Okay. Where are we going, m’lord?”

Emma gives a small sigh. “The ravine.”

* * *

“Alyssa, this is Barry,” Emma introduces as she draws her sword and sets up across from him. “He’s pretty much been my father forever, even when I had one.”

Barry laughs and gives a small bow in Alyssa’s direction. “But don’t say that around the sovereign. She doesn’t like it.”

Emma shrugs. “I don’t really give a damn what my grandmother doesn’t like.”

Alyssa blinks, surprised by the change in Emma’s personality when she’s around the knight. She’s more animated, joking in a brighter manner, a little less soft and a little more sarcastic.

It kills her that she likes this Emma almost as much as she likes the one that seems reserved for when they’re alone.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to beat this old man in a fight,” Emma says playfully.

Barry narrows his eyes at her as Alyssa takes a few steps back, leaning against a thin tree, one of the only things standing in the barren ravine. “You forget who _taught_ you everything about fighting, kid.”

Emma gives him an innocent look. “Trent?”

“Now you’re being _deliberately_ insulting, and I won’t stand for that.”

Alyssa watches as the two begin a practice duel, Emma’s sword clashing against Barry’s. It’s not quite as aggressive or precisely skilled as the duels she’s had with her siblings, but it’s far from unimpressive. What sticks out to her more than anything, though, is that, for what’s meant to be training, they both seem to actually be enjoying themselves.

On rare occasions, Alyssa, Shelby, and Nick will joke around with each other while practicing or dueling.

But Emma and Barry are both laughing wildly, snickering when they mess up a move, pushing each other around like it’s more a game than anything serious.

It’s training, but it’s also enjoying each other’s company.

Alyssa doesn’t think she’s ever been allowed to see training as anything other than part of a mission she’s never even wanted.

Her thoughts are disrupted when she hears a faint shout from the path into the ravine, just over the soft rumble of thunder, and she looks over to see another knight sprinting towards them.

_“Move!”_ he screams. _“You have to move!”_

Emma stops her duel and frowns in his direction. “What’s Trent going on about?”

When Trent gets a bit closer, he yells, “They lost the herd! It’s in the ravine!”

“Oh… fuck,” Barry mutters, turning his head.

Alyssa follows his gaze, and her stomach drops to her feet.

The sound she heard isn’t thunder.

It’s a stampede of cattle, loose in the ravine, heading straight for them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Barry smack Emma in the arm, shoving her forward as he runs towards Trent, who stops when he sees them react and runs back towards the path out of the way.

Alyssa’s brain goes blank, her feet feel like they’re stuck in mud, she can’t get her body to respond to the fast-approaching danger.

_“Emma!”_

She hears Barry’s voice, loud and panicked, and then something hits her hard from the side, almost knocking her off her feet. She’s half-pushed, half-dragged to a small crevice in the side of the ravine, and, when her brain finally registers what’s happening, she finds herself in the dark space, barely big enough to breathe, pressed close together with Emma.

“Thank you,” Alyssa whispers as the cattle storm past them.

Emma just nods, trying to catch her breath.

They stare at each other, far too close, unable to move much in the small area. Emma’s hands are on her arms, still gripping her tightly, as if afraid to let her go. They’re so close that their hips are touching, they’re chest-to-chest, and Alyssa can see every single color in Emma’s hazel eyes even in the dim light.

The rumbling outside fades away, but there’s still a rumbling in Alyssa’s head, and her gaze flickers down to Emma’s lips. There’s a hitch in Emma’s breath, faint but audible, and Alyssa finds herself starting to lean forward, her hand coming up to rest on the back of Emma’s neck.

_“Emma! Alyssa!”_

They jolt away, both of them hitting their heads, letting out quiet groans of pain as they try to move away from each other directly into solid rock.

“You can go first,” Emma says softly.

“Uh,” Alyssa looks around. “I’m actually not sure I can.”

Emma gives a small, awkward laugh and shifts as best she can, and Alyssa can tell that she’s trying to give Alyssa as much space as possible while she does. She maneuvers herself out of the stone crevice, then takes Alyssa’s hand and helps her step out as well.

“You…” Barry walks over to them, Trent at his side, looking furious as he tries to think of what to say. “You… _reckless fool._ What were you _thinking?”_

Emma smiles sheepishly at him. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.”

Trent bites his lip, on the verge of laughter. “Well, that’s certainly one way to do it.”

Barry closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Kid, you’re going to kill me one of these days.”

“Never. A few gray hairs, though? Sure.”

Barry sighs and shakes his head. “Please tell me we can go back to the castle.”

Emma nods. “Yeah.” She looks softly at Alyssa. “I think that’s enough excitement for one day.” She walks away, Trent following, but Barry lingers for a moment.

“Are you okay?” he asks, and Alyssa is surprised to realize he’s talking to her.

“Y-Yeah,” Alyssa stammers. “Thanks to Emma.”

Barry nods and pats her on the shoulder. “Good. Come on, kid. It’s about time we went home.”

He heads off after the others, leaving Alyssa to follow more slowly.

Home.

_Home._

She hadn’t realized how much she wants it to be true.

Just like, before it almost happened, she hadn’t realized how badly she wants to kiss Emma Nolan.


	5. show them the mercy

Emma narrows her eyes as she listens to her grandmother’s council.

“There have been reports of outsiders crossing the border to our side of the lake and stealing fish,” Sheldon says, looking at the map on the table. “We should probably increase the knight patrols in that area.”

“Question.” Emma fidgets with the coronet on her head. “It’s all one lake, correct? The fish don’t have borders, so does it really matter?”

“It’s not about the fish, m’lord,” Dee Dee says. “The people of the outlands need to respect the boundary lines, or they will start pushing the laws even further in other areas.”

“I understand that, but an increase in patrols over one incident feels like overkill. I-”

“That’s enough,” Betsy interrupts sharply, shooting a glare at Emma.

Emma meets her gaze evenly for a long moment before bowing her head. “Yes, sovereign,” she murmurs.

She stares at the floor, her hands tightly gripping the arm of her chair, for the remainder of the meeting.

* * *

“What is that girl telling you? Because if she is trying to insert her outsider ideology into your mindset, I will not tolerate it.”

“Alyssa has nothing to do with this, Gran,” Emma replies, irritation in her tone as she paces the meeting room, empty aside from the two of them. “This is  _ my _ policy,  _ my _ belief. I won’t just sit there silent while you continue to act like all of the people of the outlands are evil for single steps over an invisible line.”

“The outsiders need to remember their place,” Betsy says coldly. “And you need to remember yours, as well.”

“You expect me to take over one day. That’s the whole point of me being your heir. Yet you refuse to accept that I want to have input in decisions that will affect us long into the future?”

Betsy narrows her eyes and takes Emma’s sword out of its sheath. Emma takes a step back, nervous, but Betsy just holds the lion’s head pommel up in front of her eyes. “What is this, Emma?”

“Our… family crest,” Emma answers hesitantly.

“That’s right.” Betsy starts circling her slowly. “Do you know what the name ‘Nolan’ means?”

Emma swallows and stands at attention, her hands interlocked behind her back, trying to force down her urge to get sarcastic. “It means ‘descended from nobility’.”

“Correct. It came into our family line because that is what we are. It is our role.” Betsy stops in front of her and holds the pommel in front of her eyes again. “When someone disrespects that role, everyone knows it. Do you know why?”

“No,” Emma admits.

“Do you see the upper jaw on the lion? The two sharpest canine teeth on either side, two smaller sharp teeth right inside that, and then a thicker, flatter line of metal to indicate where the other teeth would be?”

Emma just nods, unnerved by the look in her grandmother’s eyes.

Betsy rests the sharp teeth against Emma’s cheek, and Emma freezes. “It makes a fairly unique scar. Two longer lines, bracketing two shorter lines, all surrounding one even shorter, thick line. Recognizable as a scar put on someone who has earned the anger of a Nolan.”

“Who would deserve that?” Emma mumbles, trying to move as little as possible.

“Your new friend’s father had one. For being a traitor and a liar.” Betsy lifts her free hand and pats Emma’s shoulder. “Do not do something that would force me to label you one as well, child.”

Emma gives a soft laugh. “You would call me a traitor for believing in people? For not believing in forcing fights that don’t need to happen?”

“You would be going against everything that this family has built. Everything we’ve fought for. Everything your father died for.” Betsy slides the sword back into the sheath on Emma’s hip. “So yes, child. I would.”

* * *

Alyssa stops at the edge of the clearing, watching Emma stand in the grass, her sword held in a light grip, eyes closed.

Suddenly, Emma turns and, with more anger than Alyssa has ever seen from her, slams the blade of her sword into the trunk of the closest tree, so hard that it embeds a few inches into the bark. Emma stands there, facing away from Alyssa, her shoulders shaking as she breathes heavily.

“Emma?” Alyssa whispers.

She backs up, leaving her sword in the tree, and turns around. There’s a cold, hard look in her hazel eyes, and it sends a shiver up Alyssa’s spine.

“Emma? What’s going on?”

“I’m just trying to… I need to…” Emma takes in a slow breath, visibly trying to force herself to calm down. “If I don’t keep myself controlled, I’m going to snap, and I can’t do that. I can’t do that. But they don’t…” She shakes her head and looks away. “I’m doing my best, Alyssa. It’s just never good enough.” There’s a moment of pause, then Emma sits down against the tree her sword is still stuck in. She covers her face with her hands, and Alyssa hears a sharp, ragged sob.

Alyssa sits down in front of her. “You can tell me,” she says softly. “If you need to talk about it, Emma, you can tell me.”

Emma rubs her hands against her face a few times, as if trying to focus, and looks up at her. “My grandmother’s council doesn’t know how to argue with her. How to give her advice. She’s been sovereign for so long that most of them can hardly remember a time when she wasn’t in charge. My father was sovereign when he died, but he had only been crowned for about two years at that point. It was hardly enough time for anyone to actually get used to a change. And it wasn’t exactly like I was old enough to take his place, so she took the role back.”

“She’s the only ruler most people have ever known, so they don’t know how to disagree with her and she doesn’t know how to take advice from people who aren’t as experienced as she is.”

“Yeah.” Emma rubs at her cheek. “And none of them want to listen to me, because they just see me as a child.” She sighs and takes her coronet off her head, setting it on the ground next to her. “I’m tired,” she murmurs. “I want to be sovereign. I do. I swear I do. I just don’t know what kind of country I’m going to be left with.” She reaches out and takes Alyssa’s hand in hers. “I wish I could change things for you. I know that people don’t trust you, and I know that you get looks. I know that you’re afraid, and I know that it’s hard for you to adjust to all of this. I want to make things better. Make things right.”

Alyssa sets her other hand on top of Emma’s and gently brushes her thumb against the back of her hand. “You’re already doing that, Emma. You’re making things so much better for me that I can’t even begin to… I’m grateful for what I have now. I really am.”

Emma lifts both of Alyssa’s hands and kisses her knuckles. “They could be better, though,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry.”

“I am, though.” Emma meets her gaze, eyes soft. “And I’m sorry for letting you see me get angry. I shouldn’t have allowed that.”

“You’re not going to scare me away by being angry. You’re allowed to have a spectrum of emotions.”

Emma squeezes her hands. “Yeah. But I’m trying to do my best to be gentle to you. It’s what you deserve. You should have that, Alyssa.”

“Emma,” Alyssa murmurs. “You’ve shown me plenty of kindness. Gentleness. I wouldn’t mind if you showed me more of yourself.”

Something flashes in Emma’s eyes, and she blushes a bit, looking away, “Yeah, well. Maybe later.”

Alyssa smiles and leans forward, pressing a quick kiss to Emma’s cheek that makes the blush darken in color. “I’ll hold you to that.”


	6. i won't say

“Hey, kiddo.”

Alyssa looks up as she finishes tying her boots, seeing Angie standing in the doorway of her room. “Hi. What do you need?”

“I don’t need anything. Emma sent this for you.” Angie walks closer and hands over and long, thin object wrapped in cloth. “She said that you deserved to have it.”

Alyssa sets the cloth on her lap and carefully unwraps it, her breath catching in her throat when she reveals a glinting silver sword with a navy blue handle.

“This… Is this…”

Angie sets a hand on her shoulder and squeezes. “You’re one of us, Alyssa. This is your place. But that doesn’t mean that you have to throw away everything you were born to, okay? None of  _ us _ would ask that of you. Emma certainly won’t. She understands.”

Alyssa swallows as Angie starts to leave. “Angie?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“Did… Did you know my father?”

Angie nods slowly.

“Was…” Alyssa closes her eyes and sighs. “Was  _ any _ part of his claim true? Even an ounce of it?”

She takes in a long, careful breath. “There was some argument when the sovereign’s father took the throne after his uncle died, over whether the crown should go to him or to a council lord. The sovereign had referred to them both as heir at various points in time. That council lord was your ancestor. But there was never any official crowning or an official choosing ceremony, so by law…”

“The rightful heir was the blood heir,” Alyssa finishes quietly.

Angie nods. “I’m not sure whether or not that helps.”

“It does. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

As Angie leaves, Alyssa stares down at the sword, lost in thought.

* * *

Emma lies down in the grass, staring up at the stars.

“We thought we would find you here.”

She sighs as Kaylee and Kevin sit down on either side of her. “You’re not supposed to know about this place.”

Kaylee shrugs. “Well, I mean, we’re  _ knights. _ We’re kind of supposed to at least have an  _ idea _ of where you are at all times.”

“We didn’t tell Barry,” Kevin adds.

Emma laughs. “Thank God for that.”

After a moment, Kaylee murmurs, “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” Emma shakes her head and sits up. “I don’t know what to do anymore. All I really want to do is help Alyssa, but every time I spend any time with her, my grandmother acts like I’m being brainwashed by ‘the evil outsiders oooo’. It’s ridiculous.”

Kevin and Kaylee exchange a glance. “Tell you what,” Kaylee says, patting Emma’s knee. “If you claim that Kevin and I are with you tonight, we’ll give you a perfect place to talk to Alyssa and spend some time with her, and the sovereign will never know.”

Emma frowns at her. “Why would you two need an alibi too?” She flinches. “Oh, gross, you’re not dating, are you?”

_ “No!” _ they both say immediately.

Kevin clears his throat. “I guess that probably could’ve sounded a lot less defensive on both our parts.”

“Gee, you think?” Emma says with a snort.

“We’ll make you a deal. You don’t ask what we’re doing, and we won’t ask what you did with Alyssa the next time we see you.”

Emma lightly smacks Kaylee’s arm. “She’s my friend, Klein.”

“Sure.” Kaylee smirks. “If that’s what you want to go with.”

“You’re such a brat,” Emma says, rolling her eyes and getting to her feet. “But you have a deal.”

* * *

Alyssa walks into the small building, anxiety creeping up her spine.

She’s not sure why she was summoned. She’s sure it can’t be a good thing.

So she’s completely caught off guard when she finds Emma, sitting on the floor with her jacket off, playing chess against herself using a wooden game board.

Emma looks up when she enters and gives her a small smile. “Hey. Sorry. I wasn’t sure when they would get you, so I was keeping myself occupied.”

“It’s fine.” Alyssa sits down across from her. “Who taught you how to play?”

“Hawkins. He’s probably the person on my grandmother’s council with the most sense, so it shouldn’t be a surprise.”

“My mother taught all three of us.”

Emma lifts her gaze. “Three? You have siblings?”

“Yes. Shelby and Nick. Both of them lost their parents amongst all of the fighting our sides have gotten into, and my mother took them in each time it happened. I’m still pushed forward as, you know, the ‘blood heir’ of what my father wanted to do, but they’re still family.”

“You sound like that worries you,” Emma says as she resets the board.

“I’m not worried about them being my siblings. I worry about what my mother might make them do.” Alyssa’s voice lowers. “What she might make any of us do.”

“Alyssa,” Emma whispers. “You’re safe here. I promise you, you’re safe here. No matter what she wants, she can’t get it. I won’t let her hurt you.”

Her head hurts. It’s pounding, she can hear her heartbeat, and every time she looks at the softness in Emma’s eyes, everything hurts even more.

She stands back up, walking towards the fireplace on the other side of the room. “You gave me my father’s sword.”

“Yes. Your mother claimed my father’s sword, but your father’s sword had fallen into the gorge. Trent found it when they were looking for survivors of the battle.”

“Why would you give it to me?”

Emma stands up and approaches her slowly. “It’s your history. Your heritage.”

Alyssa gives a sarcastic laugh. “My legacy?”

“No,” Emma says quietly. “That can be what you choose to make it, Alyssa.”

She turns around, and she can feel tears on her cheeks. “What if I’m not allowed to choose? What if we’re destined to kill each other just like our fathers did?”

“It won’t be like that.” Emma cups her face in her hands, her thumbs gently wiping the tears from under Alyssa’s eyes. “It doesn’t  _ need _ to be like that. And even if it did come down to that, I… I don’t think I could.”

Alyssa swallows. “Why not? Why did you have me brought here, Emma?”

There’s a flash of what’s almost fear in Emma’s eyes. “I-I… I just thought…” She sighs and gently bumps her forehead against Alyssa’s. “I just want to help you feel like you belong here. Like you’re safe here. I want you to understand that I trust you.”

They’re close. So close that Alyssa can feel Emma’s breath against her lips.

So close that she could take the sword off of her belt and run Emma through before the heir could even react.

She thinks she feels Emma start to lean in, just a little, but the sudden, dark thought makes Alyssa pull away in a panic, a choked cry escaping her throat. She backs up until she hits the brick of the fireplace, shaking her head.

“I-I’m sorry,” Emma stammers, taking a step back and lowering her hands to grip her belt, as if she doesn’t know what else to do with them. “I-I’m so sorry, Alyssa, I shouldn’t have-”

“You  _ can’t _ trust me,” Alyssa interrupts, her chest heaving, hyperventilating as she breaks down.

“I… What?”

“It’s a set up, Emma,” Alyssa sobs. She slides down until she’s sitting on the floor, her head resting against the brick. “I was sent here to kill your grandmother. I was sent here to take the throne from you.”


	7. the fears that once controlled

Emma stands a few feet away from Alyssa, facing away from her, hands interlocked behind her back. “Tell me. What your mother wants. What she’s had you do.”

Alyssa watches her as she works up the nerve to speak. “That day we met as children. She decided that the best option would be for me to one day get close to the both of you. To kill her, and to claim the throne. My whole life from that point, all she’s done is train me for that goal. Tell me about my father, about what he was denied. Tell me about you and the sovereign, about cruelty, about a coldness and selfishness that should never be allowed to rule. It’s been so drilled into my head that I… I couldn’t believe anything else.”

“Why did you change your mind?” Emma pauses. _ “Did _ you change your mind?”

“I did,” Alyssa says desperately, getting to her feet. “Please, Emma. I know there’s no reason to believe me, but I did. The moment I met you again, I realized that what I had been told about you was a lie. A lie, or my mother just didn’t know the truth, I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. You’re nothing like what I was told. You’re _ amazing. _ Kind. Selfless. Gentle. I’ve never met anyone like you.”

Emma makes a noncommittal noise. “And what_ about _ me, Alyssa? Getting rid of my grandmother wouldn’t make you the sovereign. It would make _ me _ the sovereign.” She turns, an unreadable look on her face. “What were you going to do with me?”

“I…” Alyssa blinks, confused, as she realizes that she doesn’t know.

Her mother has always pointedly avoided mentioning Emma’s final fate whenever they talk about their plans.

And, in that moment, Alyssa realizes what it means.

“Oh God,” she whispers. She stumbles back until she hits the wall again, feeling sick. “Oh, God. I keep…” She rubs at her eyes, her hands shaking. “I keep… I was so scared when I woke up with my hands on your throat. And then now, when we were so close, I couldn’t tell if I wanted to kiss you or stab you. I-I couldn’t…” Alyssa lets out a soft sob. “I’m scared, Emma. I’m fucking terrified. I get confused every time we’re alone, my thoughts get scrambled whenever I see the sovereign, I don’t know what I want. I don’t know what to do.”

Emma turns back around, taking a few slow steps toward the opposite wall.

Then she slams her fist so hard into the wood that Alyssa practically feels the vibrations in her own hand.

Alyssa flinches back, pressed against her own wall, waiting for the anger to be directed towards her.

Instead, Emma just stands there, her hand dropping back down to her side, shoulders shaking as she breathes heavily.

“Emma,” Alyssa whispers.

“I’m not mad at you,” Emma says softly. She turns back around, shaking her hand off, and Alyssa sees blood flick off of her knuckles. “I’m not mad at _ you, _ Alyssa. Please don’t misunderstand.”

Alyssa swallows. “How could you possibly not be?”

“Because you never had a chance.” Emma walks forward, stopping a few feet away. “Your mother never gave you one. I am not going to blame you for what she’s put in your head, Alyssa, especially not when you don’t want it. You don’t deserve this.” She pauses. “Would you come here? I swear I’m not going to hurt you.”

Alyssa takes her sword belt off, letting it drop to the floor. “Please,” she whispers, seeing the curious look on Emma’s face. “Please, I can’t take the risk.”

Emma nods. “Whatever you’re more comfortable with. I was telling the truth when I said I want you to feel safe, Alyssa.” She takes off her own sword belt, setting it down on the floor at her feet.

“I didn’t mean for you to-”

“I know,” Emma murmurs. “But I still trust you, Alyssa. Okay?”

Alyssa chokes, tears in her eyes, and she walks forward until she’s standing directly in front of Emma. She takes Emma’s hand in hers, biting her lip as she sees the gash and the forming bruise across her knuckles. “You’re lucky you didn’t break your hand.”

“I’m fine.” Emma takes a handkerchief out of her pocket and wraps it around her hand, allowing Alyssa to tie a small knot to secure it. “It’s okay, Lys. You’re okay.” She hesitates briefly before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to Alyssa’s forehead. “You don’t need to do what she wants. I swear to you. I’ll do everything in my power to protect you, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you calm your mind down.”

Alyssa hugs her, burying her face against the side of her neck. “I don’t deserve this, Em,” she murmurs. “I don’t deserve any of this.”

Emma puts her arms around her, holding her tight, and Alyssa feels her mind settle for the first time in ages. “You do deserve this, Alyssa. I promise you, you deserve so much more than you’ve been given in life. I want more for you.”

“Please,” Alyssa begs. “Please don’t tell anyone. Let me try to prove to them that I belong. I’m afraid of what will happen if I don’t.”

There’s a pause, as if Emma isn’t sure she wants to agree. Then she presses a soft kiss to the side of Alyssa’s head and tightens her grip, holding Alyssa closer. “I promise. We can keep it between us. Just… Please, Alyssa. Be careful. I can’t lose you.”

Alyssa lets out a soft, helpless whimper and buries herself further against Emma.

Emma brushes a hand up and down Alyssa’s back. “It’s okay, Lys,” she whispers. “It’s okay.”


	8. i'll do my best, what else can i do

Shelby dodges out of the way of Kevin’s sword, laughing and swinging her own blade towards Kaylee. “How bad is the training over there if I’m better than both of you combined?”

“Maybe we’re just taking pity on you,” Kaylee retorts.

“Oh, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

Kevin backs off, putting his sword back in its sheath. “It’s getting late, Kay. Our time’s almost up.”

“Yeah, I know.” Kaylee runs her hand through her hair. “Damn.”

Shelby frowns. “Time?”

“We had a no-questions-asked cover to be here this time.” Kevin grins. “We have the cool boss.”

“Wish I did,” Shelby says softly. She sheaths her sword and takes a few steps back towards the border. “I’ll… I’ll see you guys next time.”

Kevin and Kaylee both nod at her. “Bye,” Kaylee whispers.

Shelby waits for them both to head back into the forest, then she heads over the line back into the outlands.

“You’re insane.”

She winces and turns as Nick steps out from behind a tree. “You’re spying on me now?”

“I’m wondering why neither of my sisters seems interested in doing their jobs properly.”

Shelby rolls her eyes and keeps walking. “I do my job just fine.”

“If you did, you would’ve killed both of them by now. And if Alyssa did, the sovereign would be dead already.”

“You act like murder would be so fucking easy for you, Nick. It wouldn’t. I know it wouldn’t.”

He tightens his hands into fists as he follows her. “It would have to be. I have to impress our mother. I would do it right if she gave me a chance.”

“Word of advice? Her approval isn’t worth it.” Shelby gives a soft sigh. “We’re doing this to survive, Nick. Not because it matters to someone else. If you want to be in this war for glory? Don’t bother. There’s no glory in what we’re doing.” She bows her head and walks away, leaving him standing alone behind her.

* * *

Alyssa opens the door when she hears a knock and finds Emma standing there in her uniform, at attention despite missing her sword belt.

“...Hi,” she says hesitantly.

“Hi.” Emma holds out a hand. “I was hoping I could have your company today.”

“You want to spend time with me?”

“I told you, Alyssa. I trust you. Do you trust me?”

Alyssa takes her hand silently, but doesn’t miss the shy grin that spreads across Emma’s face.

Emma leads her out of the castle, holding Alyssa’s hand gently. “I thought perhaps we could see if your rock skipping abilities have improved.”

“Oh? You’re sure you want to challenge me? I had an excellent teacher.”

“I’m sure you did.”

Alyssa lifts her hand brushing her thumb over the thin wrap bandage around Emma’s knuckles. “Does it hurt?”

“Not as much as my pride. I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“You care so much. You push down so much even though I know it eats you up inside. It’s okay to let it out.” Alyssa presses a soft kiss to the back of Emma’s hand. “I’m just sorry that I cause you more stress.”

“It’s worth it. Believe me.”

Alyssa glances down at Emma’s waist. “You don’t have your sword today.”

“I thought it would make you more comfortable.”

“Hm.” Alyssa reaches her free hand up and rubs at her eyes. “You really are something special, Emma Nolan.”

Emma laughs softly. “Hardly. I’m just me.”

Alyssa sets her head on Emma’s shoulder. “That’s special as far as I’m concerned.”

* * *

_ “Shelby! Nick!” _

Shelby steps out of her room and sees Nick exit his, and they step into the main room of the house to find Veronica pacing in front of the fireplace.

“I need ideas.”

Shelby exchanges a glance with Nick. “I-Ideas?”

“Yes! Ideas!” Veronica glares at them. “Surely between the two of you there’s at least a  _ few? _ This has gone on for too long! Alyssa should be back by now, and I am  _ done _ waiting. If she isn’t going to do what she was born to do, we’ll speed up the process.”

“But-”

“I have an idea, Mother,” Nick says, interrupting Shelby before she can speak.

Veronica looks at him. “You do? And will it get your sister her throne?”

Nick smiles slowly. “It will get us everything.”

* * *

“I think you should eat with us tonight,” Emma says as she leads Alyssa back to the castle. “I know my grandmother won’t like it, but I don’t really care. You’re my guest, and that’s my right.”

“I don’t want to cause conflict between you, Emma. I’m trying to make a good impression.”

“Alyssa,” Emma says gently, turning to her and setting her hands on her shoulders. “There is no force on this Earth that could change how I feel for you. If my grandmother wants to insist on her grudges, that is her own problem. There is no conflict, because there is no argument. Either she accepts that you are a part of us now, or she accepts that I will never be on her side. She can’t bully me into being the heir she wants, and she can’t bully me into giving you up. I-I… Alyssa, I love you.”

Alyssa’s jaw drops, but before she can respond, the main door of the castle opens, and the sovereign steps out.

Emma’s hands slip from Alyssa’s shoulders, and she takes a small step forward, putting herself between Alyssa and Betsy. “Gran. I don’t normally see you outside the castle.”

“Yes, well, I fancied a bit of a moonlit stroll.” Betsy’s gaze shifts to Alyssa. “I was wondering if your friend would join me.”

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Emma says immediately.

Alyssa sets her hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Emma,” she murmurs. “It’s okay.”

“I only want to talk to the girl. We will only be gone shortly.” Betsy raises an eyebrow. “Do not make me turn it into an order, Emma.”

“Hey.” Alyssa tugs on Emma’s sleeve, making her face her. “It’s alright. It’ll be alright.”

Emma leans down and presses her forehead briefly against Alyssa’s. “Be safe,” she whispers.

“Of course.” Alyssa reaches up and lightly brushes her fingers against Emma’s cheek. “I have to give you a proper response next time I see you, after all.”

Emma squeezes her hand, watching her for a long moment with an impossibly soft look in her eyes. “I’ll see you later.” She turns and starts towards the castle, pausing next to her grandmother. “I want to make something clear to you,” she says, quiet enough that Alyssa can’t hear. “If you do anything to hurt her, the outsiders won’t be the only ones who are out to kill you.”

“Threatening me, heir? Is that really what this has come to?”

Emma meets Betsy’s gaze evenly. “Yes.” She gives Alyssa one more gentle look, then heads into the castle.


	9. one of us

“Is there a place you would be comfortable speaking?” Betsy asks as she walks next to Alyssa.

“The lake, I suppose.”

“We’ll head there, then.”

They walk in silence, until Betsy says, “My granddaughter seems to care for you a great deal.”

“She does. It’s meant a lot to me.”

“I cannot say that I necessarily approve of her endeavor, however I  _ am _ glad that she is showing such initiative in goals she is setting for herself.” Betsy pauses. “Her father was just as determined.”

Alyssa interlocks her hands behind her back, almost a mimic of the formal pose she’s seen Emma do repeatedly. “My father was as well. Just not for the right reasons.”

Betsy gives her a long look. “You’re a strange young woman, Alyssa Greene. I’m not quite sure what to make of you.”

“You’re giving me a chance, sovereign. That’s enough for me.”

* * *

They stand at the edge of the lake, looking into the water.

“It’s so quiet,” Alyssa murmurs.

Betsy looks around, her eyes narrow. “It’s  _ too _ quiet.”

She draws her sword as there’s movement in the trees on the outland side of the border, and Veronica, Shelby, and Nick walk towards them.

“Mother?” Alyssa asks, confused. “What are you doing here?”

“You don’t need to pretend anymore, darling. We got your message to wait at the lake.” Veronica gives a thin, humorless smile. “We’re here to help you kill the sovereign, like we planned.”

Alyssa feels the blood drain from her face. “No. No. I didn’t.”

“Didn’t what? Plan this from the start?”

“I-I…” Alyssa freezes, words failing her as Betsy rounds on her.

“You,” she growls. “I was right about you.”

“N-No… I…”

Veronica draws her sword. “Let us end this.”

“Wait. Wait. Please. Wait.” Alyssa steps forward. “Please, just stop.”

Her mother glares at her. “What do you think you’re doing, girl?”

“I don’t want this. There has to be a better way to resolve this. Please, Mother, please don’t do this. I-”

_ “Quiet!” _ Veronica points at Betsy with her sword. “What nonsense have you filled my daughter’s head with?”

“I am not the one sending their own child to do their dirty work.” Betsy draws her sword. “I am far harder to kill than I look, outsider.”

Nick lunges at her, but his sword is stopped by Emma’s.

“Funny,” she says dryly. “Here I was following the sovereign because I was worried she might get into an argument with Alyssa. Never thought I’d find somebody  _ else _ starting a fight.”

“Emma,” Alyssa whispers.

She’s distracted by pushing back Nick’s sword, but she still shoots a small, comforting smile in Alyssa’s direction before she goes back to her fight.

Shelby stays back, looking unsure of what to do, but Veronica moves towards Betsy.

Alyssa backs up, terrified.

“Gran, stop!” Emma yells at her. “Just run!”

“I will not be driven back in my own land!” Betsy retorts.

Emma kicks Nick back a few feet and looks at her. “Will you just get out of-  _ fuck!” _

Alyssa’s breath stops as Nick draws his blade hard against the back of Emma’s shoulder. She turns on defensive instinct and drives her sword into his torso.

_ “NICK!” _ Shelby screams.

Emma just stands where she is, looking shocked as Nick stumbles off of the blade and collapses.

A heavy silence settles over the lake as Alyssa and Shelby both go to their injured brother. Veronica stares at him, a coldness in her eyes. “You’ll pay for this, heir,” she whispers. “You’ll pay.”

“I-I… I didn’t…”

Betsy grabs Emma’s collar and shoves her towards the trees. “Go home.”

“But-”

_ “GO HOME!” _

Emma stares at Alyssa, who meets her gaze long enough to nod. Emma turns and runs.

“Take the boy back to your side of the border, Veronica,” Betsy says quietly. “We’re done here.”

“Do you really think so?” Veronica laughs. “Because I don’t. I swear to you, sovereign. I’ll kill you.”

“You won’t get the chance,” Betsy murmurs. She turns and walks away, leaving them by the lake.

“How is he?” Alyssa asks as Shelby unbuttons Nick’s coat.

“It wasn’t a strike to kill,” Shelby says. “He has that going for him, but we need to get him home if he’s going to have any chance.”

“She’s not going with us.”

Alyssa and Shelby look up at Veronica, who is staring at the ground, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Alyssa stands slowly. “What?”

Veronica brings her hand up sharply, back-handing her hard across her cheek.

Alyssa stumbles backwards, yelping in pain, feeling blood drip down her skin.

Her mother seems surprised as she looks down at the red staining the pommel of the sword in her hand, as if she had forgotten she was still holding it. Alyssa reaches up and touches the five cuts across her cheek.

“You don’t deserve to call yourself my daughter,” Veronica whispers. “Look what you’ve caused. How  _ dare _ you betray your own family? And for  _ what? _ A few Edgewater fools who think they’re superior to us? Why choose them over  _ us?” _

Alyssa swallows, trembling. “I love Emma,” she admits quietly. “I can’t hurt her. I won’t.”

“Then you’re a fool too. A foolish child who’s throwing away everything your father fought for.”

“Fine then.” Alyssa lifts her chin, setting her jaw despite the tears in her eyes. “I throw it away. If that’s what it will take, that’s what I’ll do. I’m done.”

Veronica stares at her for a long moment before nodding. “Fine then,” she growls. “Go. Go, and never come back. Because if I see you in the outlands again, the pommel end of the sword won’t be what you see coming for your head.”

Alyssa swallows again, glancing down at Shelby, who looks terrified. “I am truly sorry it has to be like this, Mother,” she says, her voice cracking.

She turns, hiding her tears as she takes off at a run towards the castle.

* * *

Alyssa passes through the gates of Castle Leon and stops, catching her breath.

“Alyssa.”

She looks up as Trent approaches, frowning when she sees the apologetic look on his face. “What’s wrong? Is Emma okay?”

“The heir is fine.” He grabs her by the arm. “But I’m sorry. You need to come with me.”

* * *

Alyssa is led into the sovereign’s throne room, where Betsy is seated and watching her enter with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Thank you,” Betsy says to Trent. “Now leave us.”

He gives a small, hesitant nod, then walks out of the room.

“Tell me,” Betsy says quietly. “When you came here, girl, was the plan always to kill me?”

“I-It was at first,” Alyssa admits, her voice hoarse. “It’s what I was raised to do. But I decided almost immediately that I did not want to go through with it.”

“Why?”

She gives a helpless shrug. “Emma.”

Betsy nods slowly. “It is a shame. As much as I did not trust you, I really did have hopes for you.”

Alyssa interlocks her trembling hands behind her back. “I am sorry to have disappointed you.”

Betsy stands, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. “Get on your knees, girl.”

Shaking, Alyssa kneels down. Betsy takes a step towards her, and a door behind the throne bursts open. Emma rushes in, down to her t-shirt, her jacket gone and her hands covered in blood. Barry follows her, looking stressed, a bloody cloth in his hand as if he was trying to clean the wound in her shoulder when she took off.

“Gran. Gran, what the hell are you doing?”

“This is how it must be. When you are sovereign someday, you will learn that you cannot let feelings make decisions. You must make rulings and enforce them.”

Emma lunges forward, but Barry grabs her around the waist to hold her back. “Please,” she begs. “Please, Gran. Don’t do this. Not to her. Please.”

Betsy doesn’t look at her. “I’m sorry, Emma,” she murmurs. “She made her own choices.”

Alyssa closes her eyes and bows her head.

“Alyssa Greene,” Betsy says, her voice raising to a commanding level. “I hereby exile you from my kingdom. As long as you live, you may never again step foot within these borders.”


	10. the heart of this star-crossed voyager

Emma stands in the throne room, staring blankly at a wall as Barry presses a cloth against the gash in her shoulder.

“This needs to be taken care of, m’lord,” he says quietly.

“I will deal with it once I have spoken to my grandmother,” Emma murmurs. “Leave us.”

“M’lord-”

“Barry. Go.”

He hesitates only a moment longer before leaving the room.

Emma turns to Betsy, seated on the throne. “You did not need to do that,” she says softly.

“You’re right. I could have executed her.” Betsy shrugs. “I chose not to because you seem to care so much about her. I thought that killing her might upset you.”

Emma gives her an incredulous look.  _ “Might upset me? _ I would fucking imagine it would! I’m in love with her!”

Betsy scoffs. “Don’t be absurd. You barely know her.”

“I know her heart. I know what matters most. And I sure as hell know more than you.” Emma moves her shoulder a bit, wincing. “Alyssa and I were both barely born when our parents started this mess. Tell me something, Gran. How is she supposed to believe that we’re in the right when you do nothing but blame her for what her mother did?” She clenches her teeth, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder. “She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill you.”

Betsy’s eyes widen. “You knew. You knew why she came here.”

“She admitted it to me. She begged me for a chance to prove herself to you before she admitted the truth to you as well. I promised her. And now I wish I had broken that promise, because making her hate me would be better than sending her back out there alone.” Emma pauses, shaking her head slowly. “You wouldn’t even give her a chance to explain herself,” she murmurs, her voice broken and ashamed.

Before Betsy can reply, Emma closes her eyes and leaves the room.

* * *

Alyssa sits in her room, staring at the floor, until her door opens and Angie walks in. “It’s time,” Angie says quietly. “I’m going to escort you off the castle grounds.”

“Can…” Alyssa runs a hand over her face. “Can I see Emma?” Her voice cracks. “Please, I just want to see her before I leave.”

Angie sets a gentle hand on her shoulder, sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “The sovereign has her on lockdown. She’s not allowed to see you.”

Alyssa lets out a quiet sob. “I didn’t want this. I swear I didn’t want this.”

“I know, kiddo.” Angie sets her arm around Alyssa’s shoulder and leads her towards the door. “Believe me. We know.”

* * *

Emma paces in her room, anger fueling her steps. She holds her coronet in her hands, so tightly that her knuckles are almost white.

Her shoulder is aching underneath the bandages, but the pain is nothing compared to the one within her heart.

She closes her eyes, thinking.

Emma walks over to her desk and takes out a piece of parchment. She sets her coronet down next to it and starts to write.

* * *

Alyssa lays in the grass, looking up at the stars.

“I thought I might find you here. I’m glad I was right.”

She gets to her feet quickly and turns around, her jaw dropping when she sees Emma standing in front of her. “What… What are you doing here?”

“I suppose I could ask you the same thing.” Emma gestures around them. “This is still within the Edgewater borders, after all.”

Alyssa swallows. “My mother exiled me, too. For falling in love with you.”

“Funny.” Emma taps the side of her head, and for the first time Alyssa notices that the crown is missing from its normal place on her hair. “I just abandoned my title because I fell in love with you.”

Alyssa chokes out a sob and rushes forward, grabbing Emma in a desperate hug.

Emma holds her tightly, gently stroking her hand up and down Alyssa’s back. “It’s okay,” she says softly. “It’s okay, Alyssa.”

“I don’t want to be alone,” Alyssa whispers.

“You won’t be.” Emma takes a small step back, smoothing her hands over her uniform jacket before she gets down on one of her knees. “I’m here. I’m here, and I won’t leave you. I promise. No matter how far we need to go, I’ll keep you safe. I’ll give you the life you deserve, Alyssa Greene.”

Alyssa sets her palm on Emma’s cheek. “What did I do to earn you?”

Emma gives a quiet laugh and stands back up. She tilts Alyssa’s chin, getting a better look at the gashes on her cheek. “This wound,” she murmurs. “Please tell me my grandmother didn’t give it to you.”

“No. My mother hit me. She didn’t realize she was still holding your father’s sword.”

Emma closes her eyes briefly. “It’s ironic. Your father had the same scar. It’s unique to a Nolan family crest pommel. It’s supposed to be reserved for those who have truly pissed off someone in my family.”

“Well. Maybe your grandmother figured my mother had simply saved her the effort.” Alyssa runs her hand against Emma’s upper arm. “Is your shoulder okay?”

“It hurts, but it will heal. Do you know anything about the man I stabbed?”

“That was Nick. My brother. I don’t know much, but Shelby seemed to think that he could be okay if they got him home and worked on fixing him up.”

Emma winces. “Your brother?”

“I’m not blaming you. I just wanted you to know.” Alyssa sighs. “What do we do now?”

“We should get some sleep. In the morning, we’ll decide what direction to head in. We’ll find somewhere to settle. I’ll make you happy, Alyssa. I swear it.”

Alyssa laughs and tugs her in close by her belt. “Are you suggesting we make our  _ own _ kingdom, Emma Nolan?”

Emma blushes and clears her throat. “Uhm. J-Just a home would be fine.”

“I would give anything for a home with you,” Alyssa says with a grin.

They stare at each other for a long moment. Emma reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind Alyssa’s ear. “Alyssa,” she murmurs. “I’m going to kiss you.”

Alyssa swallows. “Please do.”

Emma cups her face in her hands and leans in, pressing a soft, slow, _ long  _ kiss to Alyssa’s lips. Alyssa melts into Emma’s touch, kissing her back and pulling her closer with her hands at the small of Emma’s back.

When they break apart, breathless, Emma rests her forehead against Alyssa’s. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” she admits.

“Why didn’t you?” Alyssa asks.

“Some of it was bad timing. Some of it was because I didn’t want to scare you. I didn’t want to make the wrong move while you were still getting comfortable.”

Alyssa closes her eyes. “I love you. So much.”

“I love you, too.”

“And you know what else?”

“Hm?”

Alyssa links her hands behind Emma’s neck. “Now that I know what it’s like to kiss you? I don’t have any interest in stopping.”


	11. ain't nothing gonna stop me now

Alyssa wakes, curled up, with her head resting on Emma’s collarbone. There’s a soft morning breeze drifting over the grass, and she shivers. She finds Emma’s jacket under her shoulder, her makeshift pillow before she chose Emma instead, and pulls it over her.

“Hey,” Emma mumbles softly, opening her eyes and blinking down at her. “You okay?”

“M’fine. Just cold.”

Emma nods sleepily, setting her head back down in the grass and brushing her thumb against Alyssa’s shoulder. “There’s a guard outpost not far from here. Before we cross the border I’ll commandeer some supplies. It’ll be warmer tomorrow morning; I promise.”

“That’s fine.” Alyssa snuggles closer and gives a soft sigh. “I’m okay right here. This is the first time I’ve had what feels like a real, full night’s sleep in ages.”

Emma’s arm wraps around her and holds her even closer. “I’m glad,” she whispers.

* * *

“You’re lucky,” Shelby mutters, sitting in a chair next to Nick’s bed. “The heir didn’t aim for a killing blow.”

“I don’t feel particularly lucky,” he says through gritted teeth, wincing as he tries to adjust his position.

“I’m sure you don’t. That’s the pain of your own stupidity.” Shelby shakes her head slowly. “I told you. I  _ told _ you not to try to impress her. What did it get us, Nick? You’re injured, the tension between our countries is even worse than ever, and Alyssa got  _ banned from ever coming home. _ Was that the point?”

After a moment, he murmurs, “No. No; it wasn’t.” He gives a soft sigh. “I was just so tired of being the one she doesn’t care about.”

Shelby closes her eyes briefly. “I know. I know.”

The door opens, and Veronica leans into the room. “Shelby. It’s time to go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“Edgewater.”

“...Edgewater? Why?”

Veronica adjusts her sword on her waist. “It’s time to finish this. Once and for all.”

* * *

Alyssa stops at the edge of the forest, looking up at the sky as a bolt of lightning crackles through the air. “I’ll be back as quickly as possible,” Emma says, kissing Alyssa softly, as if she’s doing it just because she can. “Wait here. If someone sees you, tell them you’re being escorted by me and you’re just waiting for my return.”

“Okay.” Alyssa pulls Emma back and kisses her harder. “Hurry back.”

“Of course,” Emma says with a small grin.

She turns and jogs off towards the outpost.

Alyssa waits patiently, leaning against a tree as the rain falls around her.

Emma returns quickly, faster than Alyssa expected, and she isn’t carrying anything except for a second sword.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-I… There’s a battle going on right now. A bunch of outsiders attacking knights out at the top of the ravine.” Emma shifts her weight between her feet. “I… I don’t know if…”

“Our families are going to kill each other, aren’t they?” Alyssa asks softly.

“I think so,” Emma murmurs. “And they’re going to bring a lot of innocent people down with them.”

Alyssa reaches up, pushing Emma’s rain-soaked hair off of her forehead. “You want to go back.”

“I want you. But I… I’m not sure I could live with myself if I didn’t try to end this.”

“I know.” Alyssa holds out her hand. “Is that sword for me?”

“If you want to come with me,” Emma says, handing it over.

Alyssa smiles softly at her. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

* * *

Shelby stumbles as her foot slips in wet mud, her sword feeling heavy in her grip as the exhaustion begins to overtake her.

A sword pushes against hers, and she tries to deflect it, but her boot catches in a sticky spot in the thickening ground and weakens her movement. Shelby’s sword is knocked out of her hands, skidding into the mud, and the point of a blade rests against her throat.

Kaylee stands in front of her, shaking, fear and uncertainty and distress in her eyes.

Part of Shelby always knew it would come to this. Knew that she would end up dead at the hands of one of the only two people she ever, secretly, in her heart, considered a friend.

Knew it could never last.

“It’s okay, Kaylee,” Shelby whispers, watching Kaylee’s hand tremble. “It’s okay. I understand.”

Kaylee just stands there, frozen, the sword still pressed against Shelby’s throat as battle rages around them. Then, with a sound that is almost a sob, she lowers her arm, her sword falling to the ground next to Shelby’s.

“Why did you do that?” Shelby demands.  _ “Why? _ If anyone saw-”

“I can’t kill you,” Kaylee says, her voice hoarse. “I can’t do it. Not you.”

They stare at each other, lost and confused.

“What do we do now?” Shelby asks.

“I-I don’t kn…” Kaylee trails off, frowning at something over Shelby’s shoulder. “Emma?”

Shelby turns, watching as Alyssa fights her way through the crowd, back-to-back with the heir. “What are you two  _ doing?” _ she asks when they get closer.

Alyssa gives her a grin that’s lighter than Shelby thinks she’s ever seen her. “Trying to put a stop to this nonsense!”

“Hi.” Emma shakes Shelby’s hand. “Emma Nolan. Try not to fight while we talk to our parents.”

“Uh…”

Alyssa grabs Emma by the collar of her jacket. “It is not the time for introductions!”

“Sorry!”

Shelby and Kaylee watch as they run through the battlefield towards Veronica and Betsy, fighting at the edge of the crowd.

“Should we…” Kaylee glances at Shelby.

“I think we should wait until this plays itself out.”

Kaylee gives a small nod. “I agree.”

* * *

_ “Mom, stop!” _

Alyssa comes to a stop a few feet from the duel between her mother and Betsy, Emma at her side. Veronica pushes Betsy back and glances over, eyes narrow.

“What are you doing here? You’re not a part of this!”

“This has to stop, Mother. Please. This fighting has to stop.”

“It doesn’t need to be like this,” Emma pleads, her hand slipping into Alyssa’s. “The people of the outlands have served a long enough sentence. Most were just children when this started. And the people of Edgewater? We’re all tired of the conflict. You both have to stop this. Now!”

Betsy gives a loud, hard laugh. “What do you care about the people of Edgewater. You abandoned them because you were thinking with lust instead of with logic. I read your letter. The one you left with your crown? You can’t give everything up for an exile and then come crawling back to give orders.”

“I came back because we decided, together, that we don’t want to watch everyone we’ve ever cared about destroy themselves.”

Alyssa takes a small step forward. “At least let us all talk about this like reasonable people.”

There’s a clattering sound as Veronica and Betsy’s swords clash together again, and Betsy loses her footing, slipping and falling to the ground. Veronica pauses, looking down at her. “There is no more talking about this, Alyssa,” she says quietly.

She raises her sword to bring it down on Betsy, and Alyssa feels Emma let go of her hand. Emma sprints forward, tackling Veronica around the waist, knocking her back and tumbling with her across the ground.

_ “Emma!” _ Alyssa screams.

The momentum and the wet ground carries them, and both her mother and Emma slide, unable to find traction in the mud, towards the edge of the ravine.

Veronica goes over the edge, and Emma lunges forward awkwardly, grabbing her hand. The force pulls her dangerously close to the side, and she visibly struggles to keep her grip in the rain.

Alyssa starts forward to help, but before she can even take more than one step, Emma loses her grip, and both she and Veronica disappear into the ravine.


	12. you filled your heart with love

Emma groans, choking as the downpour of water falls heavy on her face. When she sits up, she’s half-convinced that she’s dead, until she realizes that she landed on one of the outcroppings of the ravine.

Her body feels hot, and she doesn’t understand how in the freezing rain.

Then she notices the fire.

The few trees in the ravine, some knocked down in the storm, are blazing, from what she can only assume was a lightning strike. “Oh, God,” she whispers.

She hears the sound of a struggle, and she looks over to find Veronica on the edge of the outcropping, holding on as best she can to the slippery rock, dangling over the inferno below them.

Emma scrambles over to her and grabs her hand just as she slips, letting out a soft gasp as the sudden weight slams her down hard against the stone. She reaches out her other hand to double her grip, an effort with them both soaked to the bone, and she mutters, “I have you. Okay? I have you.”

“You can’t hold me forever,” Veronica replies, fear in her eyes as she tries to use her other hand to find purchase back up on the outcropping. “We’ve already fallen once. If you hold onto me we’ll both die, Nolan.”

“I don’t care.” Emma grits her teeth, trying to dig her boots into the mud to keep herself from slipping forward. “You’ve done things I could never forgive you for. But you are still the mother of the woman I love, and I am not letting you die today. I am tired of people dying for a senseless war.”

Veronica looks up at her, eyes surprisingly soft. “You truly are not your father  _ or _ your grandmother, are you?”

“I don’t want to be them. I’m myself. That’s enough for me.” Emma winces as she’s pulled further over the edge.

She hears the sound of boots landing on the rock behind her, and Alyssa’s hand falls on her shoulder. “Do you always have to be the hero, Em?”

“Lys, what are you doing? Get out of here!”

“She’s my mother. You’re not dying to save my mother.” Alyssa reaches down and takes Veronica’s other hand. Together, they pull her up onto the outcropping.

“Thank you,” Veronica says quietly.

Alyssa just nods back at her.

Emma stands, stiff as she feels the beginning of inevitable bruises over her body. “We have to-”

The ground under her boots starts to give way under the strain of the weight and the rain, and Emma starts to slide down towards the fire below them. Alyssa grabs her by the collar of her jacket, yanking her forward and sending them both stumbling backwards, Emma falling on top of her.

“Nice catch,” Emma whispers.

“Nice fall,” Alyssa murmurs.

“Hey!”

They look up and see Shelby and Kaylee at the top of the ravine.

“You guys need a hand?” Kaylee asks.

“It would be nice!” Emma stands and helps Alyssa to her feet. She points at Veronica. “You first.”

“But-”

“Go, Mother.”

Veronica gives a slow nod and reaches up, taking Shelby’s hand and getting pulled up to stable ground, Emma and Alyssa pushing her up by her boots.

“You’re next,” Emma says quietly.

“What? No.”

“Lys.” Emma pulls her close and kisses her forehead. “I’ll be right behind you. Go.”

Alyssa nods and takes Kaylee’s hand, disappearing up to the top of the ravine.

Emma feels the ground slide a bit underneath her, as if the outcropping is beginning to collapse completely. “Oh, you have to be kidding me,” she mutters.

She jumps as more ground gives out under her feet, Shelby grabbing one hand and Kaylee grabbing the other. They pull her up, Alyssa rushing to grab her by the back of her jacket and help. Emma rests for a moment on her hands and knees before standing and walking over to Betsy, watching the whole affair with more curiosity than concern.

“Grandmother. I, Emma Nolan, daughter of Patrick Nolan, heir to the throne of Edgewater, hereby relieve you of your duty as sovereign.”

Betsy laughs. “You can’t do that.”

“I can. You were appointed to fulfill the role of sovereign after my father’s death until I was  _ of age. _ I am twenty-two years old; I have been of age for two years now. The throne is my birthright, and I am well within cause to claim it. I have been too afraid to challenge you, and I am  _ done _ with that.” Emma draws her sword, raising it and pointing it at Betsy. “This is my legal right. If you won’t yield, you’ll have to kill me.”

Betsy tightens her grip on her sword. “All I have ever wanted is to teach you something, girl.”

“And all you’ve ever taught me is that building policy around vengeance is no way to be a sovereign.”

They stare at each other in silence, the fighting around them slowing as the various leaders come to a standstill.

After what feels like an eternity, Betsy says, “Do you truly think you can handle this? Do you truly think you can allow these… these  _ outsiders _ to coexist with us?”

“I do. And I won’t permit you to continue this any longer.”

Betsy pauses, then slowly lowers her sword. “Well then,” she whispers. “I hope you can prove it.”

Emma swallows, her sword falling to her side as well. “I will.”

* * *

Emma stands at the edge of the lake, skipping rocks across the surface of the water.

“I thought I might find you here.” Alyssa stops next to her, hands in her pockets. “I visited my mother today. It’s… strange. Knowing that she has no power over me anymore.”

“I won’t leave her in prison forever. I just need to be sure that she won’t have any plans for killing me anymore.”

“It’s alright, Em. I understand. It’ll be good for her, I think. Time to reflect without pushing herself on my siblings. Who, I might add, are doing very well as knights. Thank you for that.”

“Of course.”

Alyssa kicks at the dirt, watching Emma fidget with the rocks in her hand. “Are you nervous?”

“What, to be crowned? Why would I be? It’s not like I’m taking the responsibility of a whole country onto my shoulders.” Emma grimaces and skips another stone.

Alyssa gives a soft laugh and sets her hands on Emma’s shoulders, turning her to face her. “Do you even know how amazing you’ll be? You’re the most honest, gentle,  _ true _ person I’ve ever met. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

“I hope so.” Emma kisses her, then takes a step back and kneels down, shoving the remaining rocks into her pocket. “I have another promise to make you.”

Alyssa smiles. “Yeah?”

“Mhm. No matter what, no matter what responsibilities I have, no matter how hard I need to work. I will still spend every moment of the rest of my life making sure that you have the best life I can offer you. I love you, Alyssa Greene.”

Alyssa sets her palm against Emma’s cheek. “I love you, too, Emma Nolan.”

“I-I… I want you by my side. When I’m crowned, and beyond.”

“You…” Alyssa’s eyes go wide. “What are you saying?”

“Marry me, Alyssa. Please. I’ll protect you no matter what your answer is, love you no matter what your answer is, but I want you to marry me.”

“A-Are you sure? After all that I-”

“Alyssa,” Emma interrupts, getting to her feet. “I have never been more sure of anything. I trust you. I want you to be my wife.”

“Yes.” She hugs Emma tightly, trying not to cry. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

Emma holds her, brushing a hand up and down her back. “I promise you, Alyssa. I won’t always be able to prevent you from being scared. But I will do everything to make sure that, even when you’re scared, you’ll know that you have somewhere you can be safe.”

Alyssa nods and clutches at Emma, burying her face against Emma’s neck. After a moment, she lets out a soft laugh. “Ironic.”

“What is?”

“My mother went through all this trouble to make me sovereign. All she had to do was let us get to know each other, and here I am  _ marrying _ the sovereign.”

Emma laughs and pulls back a bit, resting their foreheads together. “Don’t tell her. I don’t know whether that would make her angry or smug.”

“True.”

Emma kisses her on the forehead and looks towards the lake. “Do you hear that?”

Alyssa frowns up at her. “Hear what?”

“Frogs,” she says softly. She takes a step back and holds out one of the rocks from her pocket, grinning. “Do you know how to skip rocks?”

Alyssa gives a slow smile. “You know? I actually had a really good teacher.”


End file.
